One Heart
by Urd-chan
Summary: A spell causes Inuyasha to be split into two parts, one human and the other youkai. Kagome struggles to help Inuyasha become whole again while both sides of Inuyasha with his own internal struggle between his human and youkai parts.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Inuyasha. Those are the property of one Rumiko Takahashi. I thank her whole-heartedly for giving us such an amazing manga/anime to read/watch. 

Author's note: I am an avid fan of the Inuyasha/Kagome pairing and a lover of happy endings. This is my first fanfiction on this list, and only my fourth in all. Please bear with me while I learn the ins and outs of writing and posting fanfiction.

ONE HEART – Chapter 1

Kagome turned to face Inu-Yasha. "I told you I would be back in three days. I have an important test to study for. If I don't do well on this one, I definitely won't make it into high school next term."

"Feh!" Inu-Yasha folded his arms across his chest and glared at Kagome. "You would think your 'test' is more important than finding the rest of the Shikon shards."

"It might not be more important, but to me it's just as important as finding the shards." Kagome sighed. 

Why did he always make it so hard for her when she had a test to study for. She was doing her best to keep up her grades and still help find the Shikon shards, even though leading the double life she was had started to take its toll on her. She had become extremely edgy lately and was prone to snap at Inu-Yasha for no apparent reason. Now he was giving her good reason to get angry, and it wouldn't take much more to push her to "osuwari" him.

Inu-Yasha was so caught up in his own reaction to Kagome leaving him again that he didn't see the warning signs until it was too late.

Kagome smiled wickedly at the hanyou. "Osuwari!" 

Inu-Yasha crashed to the ground, chest first. He growled at her, mumbling something incoherent under his breath as he watched Kagome sit on the edge of the well and swing her legs over the rim before she slipped from view.

"Damn it, Kagome!" he struggled to stand, only managing to do so when the holding spell lost its effect on him. He leaned over the edge of the well, deciding to give her time to get over her anger before he followed. But, he wasn't going to wait long.

He paced back and forth beside the old well before finally sprinting off in the direction of Kaede's village. He would pick on Shippou for a while to pass his time before following Kagome.

Unseen to Inu-Yasha, an old woman had watched the exchange between the hanyou and the strangely-dressed miko. She didn't know where they went when they jumped into the well, but she had witnessed them doing so before. She peered from her vantage point until he had disappeared from sight. Now would be her chance. She walked away from the clearing until she reached a large fallen tree. Hovering above the rotting trunk was one of Naraku's insects. The insect flew to the woman and deposited a Shikon shard in her hand before flying upward and out of sight. 

Yes, this would add enough power to her spell to be sure the hanyou wouldn't bother anyone again.

Naraku had offered her this shard in exchange for her help. Her magical powers were already great, but the increased power offered by the use of the Shikon shard virtually assured success. Her job was to rid Inu-Yasha of his youkai power. By doing so, he would be defenseless against Naraku. Her reward for the job would be an additional Shikon shard. 

Unknown to the old woman, Naraku had no intention of letting her keep the shards. He needed her abilities, and lending her one shard was worth the outcome. His insects would be ready to reclaim the shard when the sorceress had completed her task. Her life would be forfeit.

She quickly returned to the well, her eyes darting from side to side, making certain that she wouldn't be seen. From her previous observations, it wouldn't be long before the hanyou followed the girl. The woman quickly took some spell papers from her pocket and placed them on the lip of the well. She then took the Shikon shard and put the sliver through the papers, wedging it into the wood. This would hold the spell while adding the power she needed.

She made movements with her hands while chanting something unintelligible. She finished by taking a handful of a powdery substance and tossing it across the opening of the well.

With the spell in place, she once again took refuge behind the trees, waiting impatiently for the hanyou to return.

Her wait was rewarded as Inu-Yasha came into view. He had tired quickly of teasing Shippou, his mind more on the empty feeling in his chest than on the kitsune. He hated the feeling he got every time Kagome left. He wouldn't be satisfied until he saw her again.

Inu-Yasha quickly jumped through the opening of the well, never noticing the pieces of parchment that clung to the side. He did, however, notice something as he passed through the opening. It was as if two large hands had taken hold on him, each pulling in opposite directions. He felt as though he was being torn in half. He was helpless to do anything as he continued falling through the opening, landing roughly as he appeared in the well in Kagome's time. For a moment his vision blurred. Then there was nothing.

Inu-Yasha awoke a short time later. However, the old sorceress' spell had done its work. On the floor of the old bone eater's well was not one, but two separate Inu-Yashas. One human. One youkai. His human and youkai parts had been torn apart, creating two individual beings. 

Quickly Youkai Inu-Yasha jumped from the well and ran from the mini shrine. He cleared the wall surrounding the shrine complex that was Kagome's home, landing near the street. He then quickly bounded down the street and out of view.

Human Inu-Yasha carefully stood up, still dazed from the effect of the spell. He had no idea what had caused him to be split into two, but he knew he would need help. He pulled himself from the well and walked to Kagome's house, letting himself in and making his way to her bedroom door.

Unnoticed by Inu-Yasha was his Tetsusaiga, which remained on the floor of the well. The sword would now be useless to him. To Human Inu-Yasha it would remain as it now appeared, an old, dull sword that was unable to cut anything. To Youkai Inu-Yasha it would remain untouchable. Next to the sword lay the magical rosary that normally encircled his neck, giving Kagome the power to "osuwari" him when she felt it was necessary.

Kagome was next to tears. It wasn't fair. How was she supposed to remember all these formulas in time for the test? The numbers blurred on the page before her. She slammed the book shut and pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes, trying to clear them.

She was startled by a soft knock at the door. 

"Come in, Mama. You're back early," she called, sounding more enthusiastic than she felt. Actually, she was relieved at the chance to take a short break from studying.

The door opened to reveal not Mama, but a very human Inu-Yasha. Kagome gasped and quickly looked to the bedroom window. Sunlight streamed into the bedroom. It was the middle of the day! Not nighttime, and the next new moon wouldn't occur for at least another week.

"Inu-Yasha? What happened?" Kagome eyed the human boy standing before her. 

Human Inu-Yasha simply shook his head. "I don't know. I jumped into the well to come here and…" He walked to her bed and sat on the edge, looking less confident than she had ever seen him. He continued, "It was like something was trying to tear me apart. When I came out on your side of the well, I was like this."

Kagome sat next to him and shook her head. "Maybe if we take a look at the well we can figure this out. Ji-chan should be home soon. He might know what happened."

Human Inu-Yasha looked at Kagome. His expression gave her a chill down her back. He was preparing to tell her the worst of it and she suddenly felt frightened.

"When I came out on your side of the well, Kagome, it wasn't just me. There were two of me. This one," he indicated himself. "And, another one. That one looked to be full youkai."

She knew the answer before she even asked the question. "Where is the youkai Inu-Yasha?"

Human Inu-Yasha shook his head. "I don't know. He ran away before I realized what was happening. I don't know where he went, and in this form I can't even begin to track him. My senses are the same as any other human's right now."

Kagome lay her hand lightly on Human Inu-Yasha's arm. "If something was able to split you, then there's got to be something that can put you back together. We just have to figure out what."

For the first time since being split, Human Inu-Yasha smiled slightly. Always the optimist. That was one of the things he loved best about Kagome. No matter how dark things seemed, she always seemed to find that one ray of light to see them through. 

Without warning, Human Inu-Yasha put his arms around Kagome and held her. 

Her surprise faded immediately and she slipped her arms around him.

"Thank you, " his voice was barely audible. 

They held each other, only breaking the embrace when they heard voices in the front hallway and the front door slam closed.

"It sounds like Ji-chan is home. Now we can ask him what he thinks might have happened." Kagome took Human Inu-Yasha's hand and pulled him gently toward the bedroom door. He stopped her from opening the door, once again holding her. As long as he had Kagome by his side, everything was sure to work out. 

He pulled away, finding himself blushing. Kagome gently gave his hand a squeeze. "Everything will be all right." She smiled at him, her words and manner masking the worry she felt inside as together they went to talk to her grandfather.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Inuyasha. Those are the property of one Rumiko Takahashi. I thank her whole-heartedly for giving us such an amazing manga/anime to read/watch. 

ONE HEART – Chapter 2

Ji-chan, Mama, and Souta had returned from their errands. Mama was already busy putting away the family's groceries and Souta had plopped down in front of the TV and was already busy with his favorite video game. Ji-chan was sitting at the kitchen table, waiting for the water for his tea to heat. He looked up as Kagome and Human Inu-Yasha came into the room. By his expression, it was obvious that he didn't recognize Inu-Yasha. 

"Ah, Kagome. Is this one of your friends from school?" Ji-chan was busy opening a tea bag and placing it in his cup. 

"Feh!" Human Inu-Yasha said, sitting heavily in a chair across the table from Ji-chan. "You need your eyes checked." 

Kagome gave him a warning look and turned to her grandfather. "Ji-chan, I think I told you before how Inu-Yasha loses his youkai powers on the night of a new moon."

Ji-chan squinted at Human Inu-Yasha. "Not only is it not a new moon, but it isn't even night."

Kagome signed and took a seat next to Human Inu-Yasha. "That's the problem. We're hoping that maybe you can help."

Kagome and Human Inu-Yasha told Ji-chan what happened. Mama stopped her work to sit down and listen. When they had told the entire story, Ji-chan just shook his head. 

"I'm not sure what kind of spell it was, but I would bet that it was a spell of some kind. Maybe if we examine the well." The old man pushed back his chair and hurried out of the kitchen, enthused that he had been asked for help. This would show those young people that he was not a doddering old fool. Maybe now they would start to listen to his stories and legends. 

Ji-chan led the way to the mini shrine. He pushed the doors open and stepped inside, glancing from side to side. When he could find nothing out of the ordinary he worked his way down the steps to the old bone eater's well. Several scraps of discarded spell scrolls lay scattered on the floor, evidence that Ji-chan's power was not enough to keep Inu-Yasha from coming through the well. 

The old man walked around the well several times, each time peering into the dark opening and rubbing his chin. The floor of the well was invisible in the darkness. 

After a few minutes, Human Inu-Yasha's patience faded. "Well, can you figure out what happened? Do you know what to do to get me back to normal?"

Ji-chan smiled triumphantly. "There is no sign of a spell being placed on this well. The only answer can be that someone powerful has placed a spell on the well in your time. Apparently they had a reason to separate your human half from your youkai half."

"So, can you undo it?" Human Inu-Yasha looked at Ji-chan expectantly.

Kagome's grandfather sighed heavily and shook his head. "Unfortunately, the only way to undo this spell is to go to the well in your time and perform the counter spell there."

"So, I'll just go back through the well…." Before anyone could stop him, Human Inu-Yasha jumped into the well. Almost immediately everyone heard a thump and a curse from Human Inu-Yasha. He had landed on the floor of the well. It seemed apparent that he was not going to be able to travel back through the well.

Kagome gasped. Every other time Inu-Yasha had jumped into the well from her time, he had managed successfully to go through. Then again, there was one difference.

"You never tried going through the well while you were human before." It was a statement, but the implications were there. In order to be able to go back through the well, he would have to undo the spell. But, to undo the spell, he had to go back through the well. 

Ji-chan broke the silence. "You mentioned that there were now two Inu-Yasha's. Where is the second one?"

Kagome and Human Inu-Yasha looked at each other. They both knew that tracking Youkai Inu-Yasha would be almost impossible. Neither Kagome or Human Inu-Yasha could follow his scent, and since he was acting independent of Human Inu-Yasha, there was no way to know where he might have gone. 

"We have to find your other half," Kagome looked at Human Inu-Yasha, trying to hide the worry she felt. Human Inu-Yasha was too consumed with his own worries to notice. 

"And, I suppose you know how to find him?"

Ji-chan stepped between them. "If my guess is right, the youkai Inu-Yasha will come back. Eventually. After all, Kagome is here. He won't stay away from her for very long."

"What are you implying, old man!" Human Inu-Yasha balled his hands into fists, trying desperately to stay calm. It was a losing battle.

"Well, it's pretty obvious how you feel about Kagome. At least, in your normal state." Ji-chan turned and started up the stairs. 

Kagome looked at Human Inu-Yasha. Could he actually be blushing? she thought. She shook the thought from her head and took his hand. 

"We had better get started if we are going to find him. I mean you. You know what I mean." She stammered, suddenly aware of the way he was holding her hand.

Human Inu-Yasha simply nodded as they made their way back to the house.

Mama found Human Inu-Yasha some old blue jeans and a t-shirt to wear so that he could more easily blend in while he and Kagome searched for Youkai Inu-Yasha. She told him that he could change in Souta's room. 

He struggled with the clothing, having never worn anything with zippers or that fit so tightly. When he finally managed to finish zipping up the jeans, he walked out of Souta's room, looking almost like any other normal boy his apparent age, except for the fact that his hair trailed down his back past his waist. 

Kagome's mouth gaped and it took her every effort not to stare. She was so used to seeing Inu-Yasha in his loose-fitting kimono. He wore a red t-shirt and jeans. The jeans fit, but were rather snug, hugging his hips. 

Kagome quickly looked away and hoped he wouldn't see her stare. Luckily, he was busy tugging at the waist of the pants, trying to get them to fit more comfortably. He failed to see her looking at him or her blush as she turned away. 

Suddenly Human Inu-Yasha felt something on his hair. Kagome had grasped the ends and split it into three sections. Now she quickly braided it, securing the end with a small rubber band.

"Why the hell did you do that?" He turned to face her.

"You'll fit in better like that. After all, we need to start looking for your other half." She had to fight the urge to stare at him. 

"Turn around," she instructed him, making sure he would not stand out too much while they searched for the other Inu-Yasha.

Kagome couldn't help but stare again as he turned his butt in her direction, the snug-fitting jeans leaving little to her imagination. 

This time, however, Human Inu-Yasha caught her looking, although he acted like he hadn't noticed. He smiled to himself. Perhaps he would have to wear this modern clothing more often, if this is how Kagome reacted to him in it.

"We need to get going if we are going to hope to find your other half," Kagome had already walked to the stairs and had one foot on the top step. 

"Feh!" he followed her grudgingly. She seemed a little too anxious to find his youkai half. He was starting to dislike the guy.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Inuyasha. Those are the property of one Rumiko Takahashi. I thank her whole-heartedly for giving us such an amazing manga/anime to read/watch. 

ONE HEART – Chapter 3

Human Inu-Yasha walked awkwardly in the pair of sandals Ji-chan had given him to wear. He wasn't used to anything on his feet, although the open sandals were less confining than regular shoes would be.

Kagome kept sneaking glances his way, still amazed at how handsome he looked wearing modern-day clothes. She could tell he wasn't comfortable in them, but contrary to his usual reaction to things he didn't like, he wasn't complaining. She made a mental note to herself to let him take the footwear off when they reached the park. She was certain his now-human feet would be tender and prone to blisters. They would need a rest. 

Kagome had decided to try looking at her school first, since other than her house, that was the place in her time Inu-Yasha had been to the most. 

It took longer than normal to walk there, since Human Inu-Yasha was still adjusting to the feeling of wearing shoes on his feet. 

The school building was dark, its doors all locked until morning. The fenced courtyard used by the gym classes was deserted. 

They circled the building. Human Inu-Yasha silently cursed both his youkai half and the fact that he no longer had his superior youkai senses. Even if Youkai Inu-Yasha had been there, they would never know. Human Inu-Yasha couldn't track him if he couldn't pick up the youkai's scent.

After coming up empty at the school, Kagome and Human Inu-Yasha continued looking. They went to the park and to the grocery store they had shopped at several times before. It was all to no avail. They found no sign of the youkai. It was as if he had vanished. 

After a time, Kagome suggested they stop for some dinner. Searching on empty stomachs was not going to help. She found a small diner that she knew had good food and led Human Inu-Yasha to a booth near the back. She slid onto the bench seat, surprised to find Human Inu-Yasha sitting next to her. 

After a waitress came to the table and took their order, Human Inu-Yasha looked at Kagome.

"Well, now what. You know your way around here better than I do. We didn't find even a trace of him. What now?" He didn't intend for his voice to sound harsh, but it came out that way. He was becoming frustrated with the unsuccessful search and quite frankly, would much rather just sit at the restaurant and enjoy Kagome's company. 

Kagome shook her head. "I'm sorry. All I can do is try the places I know you have been to before."

"You mean that he's been to, don't you?"

Kagome looked at him, her brow furrowing. "You're both part of the same person."

"Maybe we're both better off this way."

Before Kagome could react, the door of the restaurant opened, admitting several teenage girls dressed in the same school uniform Kagome wore.

"Kagome!" one of them shouted excitedly. 

Kagome cringed inwardly, trying to maintain a smile as the girls approached the booth where she and Human Inu-Yasha sat. The three girls all crammed into the open bench across from them, each eyeing Human Inu-Yasha and looking at Kagome questioningly. 

"Aren't you going to introduce us to your 'friend'?" the first girl gave Kagome a knowing wink. It hadn't taken the three long to figure out exactly who this mystery man with Kagome had to be. They had heard her talk about him too many times not to have put two and two together. 

Kagome thought she would die, but luckily Human Inu-Yasha was prepared. Ji-chan had talked to him about the possibility of them running into people Kagome knew.

"Just call me 'Yashi'," he said, smiling at the girls. He had to keep up the appearance that he belonged there. The last thing they needed was for him to attract unwanted attention by acting too differently. 

The three girls giggled simultaneously, looking at Kagome expectantly. She knew they wouldn't be happy without an explanation. 

Kagome gasped as she felt an arm slide around her, pulling her towards Human Inu-Yasha. She glanced at him and saw him looking at her.

"I don't want to be rude, but Kagome and I really don't get much time to be alone. Do you think you girls could talk to her later?" He smiled at Kagome's friends, all three nearly melting at the sight of this extremely handsome young man smiling at them. 

One by one they stammered out some excuse, sliding out of the booth and walking to the door. Each looked back before they left the diner, wanting to have one more look at Kagome's boyfriend. Their excited whispers were loud enough to carry to Kagome and Human Inu-Yasha.

"No wonder she puts up with his attitude." "He's so dreamy." "How did she get to be so lucky." They giggled and nudged each other as they left.

Kagome sighed. She knew she would be in for a barrage of questions the next time she talked to her friends. She would have to have some answers ready. She looked at Human Inu-Yasha, who was looking at her with an amused expression.

"It seems your friends already know about me." It was more a question than a statement.

How was she going to explain this away? She looked at her hands while she tried to think of a response. Both she and Human Inu-Yasha were startled by a voice.

"Higarashi?" 

Kagome looked up in surprise. Was this day going to just continue to get worse?

"Houjou-kun," she smiled nervously at the boy from her time. She could feel Human Inu-Yasha's arm tighten around her waist. It was clear that he wasn't happy with the intrusion. She could see him sizing Houjou up out of the corner of her eye.

"Please don't start a fight," she thought. Even in his human form, Inu-Yasha would have no trouble beating Houjou in a fight. 

"I thought I saw you in here so I decided to come in and say hello. I'm glad you seem to be feeling better. Those herbs I brought you must have worked." He smiled cluelessly at Kagome, not paying attention to the young man she was with. Or, so she thought.

Houjou turned his gaze on Human Inu-Yasha. He held out a hand.

"Higarashi and I attend the same school. " It was Houjou's turn to size up Human Inu-Yasha.

"Maybe he's not as clueless as I thought," Kagome thought to herself. 

Houjou babbled on for a minute, talking about school and some new herb he would bring her to help with her horrible illnesses. He then rather nervously looked at his watch and excused himself, stammering out something about being late for something. He quickly retreated from the restaurant. He had heard Kagome's friends talk about some boy she was interested in. Now that he had met the guy, he was bound and determined to double his efforts to win Kagome. This boyfriend of hers was going to be some serious competition, after all.

Human Inu-Yasha felt relief when Houjou left. He hadn't given any thought to Kagome having suitors in her own time until Miroku and Sango had mentioned some boy from her time being interested in her. He felt he had his hands full with Kouga back in his own time. The last thing he needed was some overly polite pretty-boy from Kagome's own time as competition.

"So, now I know why you are always so anxious to come back to your time. No wonder you are so interested in that 'school' thing." 

Kagome looked at him, trying not to allow herself to hope that he might actually be jealous. She muttered something about Houjou being a sweet guy, but that she wasn't interested in him. Before she could say more, the waitress appeared with their meal. 

The subject was tabled as they ate their meals in silence. It was getting late and they would have to return to Kagome's house soon. Both knew that tracking Youkai Inu-Yasha in the dark would be useless. They would need a good night's sleep before starting again in the morning.

The walk back to Kagome's house was long and slow. Human Inu-Yasha's feet had blistered in several spots from the sandals. Now he complained all the way home.


	4. Chapter 4

One Heart – Chapter 4

Youkai Inu-Yasha shook off the effect of the spell and looked around him. It should have been difficult to see around the darkness at the bottom of the well, but his eyesight was improved with the added youki. He eyed the human sitting across from him. There was something very familiar about him, and yet very disturbing. His instinct told him to put as much distance between himself and the lavender-eyed, dark-haired man sitting across from him as he could.

Following his instincts, he bolted from the well and over the steps of the mini-shrine, slamming open the door before racing across the paved courtyard of the shrine complex. He was over the wall in a flash, leaving the well and the strangely familiar man far behind.

He headed out of the city. The sounds and smells of humanity assaulted his heightened senses. He had to get away and figure out what to do. Something wasn't right. He had never felt this way before. His muscles surged with a strength and speed he had never experienced. His sense of smell took in even the smallest scent as he passed through the streets of Tokyo, keeping to the less populated side streets. The large human population made him uncomfortable. He only thought to find a place away from the crowded city. Away from the well and the human who had looked at him with an expression of surprise and shock.

It took him only minutes to find the outskirts of the city, and only minutes more before he was in an area of wilderness. He paused to survey his surroundings, trying to catch any hint of other youkai in the area. 

The only living beings he could sense were the small rodents and birds that populated the woods he was in. No sign of other youkai. Not even a faint trace of one who had passed this way before. He did, however, detect the faint scent of humans, although by the faded scent he knew it had been a while since they had passed this way.

He continued to search, not completely certain what he was looking for. 

Youkai Inu-Yasha reveled in his new-found senses, thinking to himself that this is what the Shikon no Tama would have done for him had he managed to steal it so many years before. This is what he had wanted his whole life. To truly be a youkai, and not some weakling half-breed, brought forth by the union of a youkai and a human. He had been strong as a hanyou. Now his strength as a youkai would be unchallengeable. He dared any youkai to stand up to him now. 

However, the more he searched, the more he became aware that he appeared to be the only youkai around. He had sensed countless humans while moving through the city, but no youkai. Now, even in the wilderness, he found no trace of his kind. The lack of other youkai worried him. 

Youkai Inu-Yasha hunted to fill the emptiness in his stomach. After he had fed his hunger, he became aware of another emptiness inside him. An emptiness that went much deeper than hunger. He didn't understand the feeling at first, but soon realized that something was missing. Something very important to him.

He jumped into the branches of a nearby tree and settled himself with his back to the trunk. He had to think. He felt compelled to return to the old well, even with the uneasiness he felt for the human that was there. It was as if there was something else there, something he needed. He felt incomplete.

After a while, Youkai Inu-Yasha jumped down from the tree and started back to Tokyo, back towards the old well and whatever it was he was searching for.

This time, however, he didn't travel at full speed. He was in no hurry to see the dark-haired man who had shared the bottom of the well with him.

He skirted the more heavily populated parts of the city, but once again felt a compulsion. It drew him to a large brick building. The windows were dark and there was no sign of anything living in or around it. The place seemed familiar to him. He glanced up at a particular window and half-expected to see a face at it. He could almost visualize one there – a young woman with long, dark hair and large, soft brown eyes. He could almost see her in his mind. He could almost smell her scent – a soft mixture of florals with the unique fragrance of a human female. 

His memory of her scent was so clear that he could swear it was real. Suddenly it hit him. The scent was real. The female had been here only a short while before. Her scent was unmistakable, circling the brick building and moving off in the direction of a nearby park. Youkai Inu-Yasha followed. 

One thing disturbed him. In addition to the scent of the female was another scent. A scent equally familiar. It was the scent of the man from the well. He clenched his hands at his sides, his claws digging into the flesh of his palms. Why the hell would that man be with the human woman? She was, after all, HIS woman. Yes, she was the one he had chosen for his life-mate. He could remember her clearly. Kagome. He had chosen her, but had not yet laid claim to her. That he would do when the time was right. However, he was not going to let another male attempt to take her from him. He would do whatever it took to protect her.

He continued to follow Kagome's trail as it led through a nearby park and through an area of shops and restaurants. The area seemed familiar to Youkai Inu-Yasha. He vaguely remembered being here before. He stopped and looked inside the window of a small grocery store, his attention caught by the sight of a young woman with long dark hair. He pressed his face against the glass to see more clearly. No, the woman wasn't Kagome. He peered through the window but could see no sign of his woman. He continued down the street, still following the double scent of Kagome and the strange man from the well.

Further down the street the trail stopped as it entered a building. Looking through the window he could see tables and chairs and a number of humans sitting at the tables, eating. Once again he pressed his face to the glass, peering into every corner of the room. 

Then he saw her. Kagome. She was sitting at a table near the back of the large room. Next to her sat the dark-haired man from the well. Youkai Inu-Yasha growled softly to himself. He didn't like the way this human sat so closely to her. He was being far too familiar. Yet, Youkai Inu-Yasha was hesitant about approaching them. His uneasiness regarding this dark-haired man remained strong.

He continued to watch as several young women entered the building and sat down with the young couple. He reacted with distaste when he saw the dark-haired man put his arm around Kagome. This was unacceptable. He would have to do something to rid Kagome and himself of this human intruder. 

After several minutes the three women left, stopping outside to giggle and talk about Kagome and her "boyfriend". Once again, Youkai Inu-Yasha growled softly to himself. The girls hadn't noticed him, so entranced were they with their gossiping about their friend. 

He turned back to look into the building, surprised to see another human male had approached the table where Kagome sat. He was tall and smiled constantly as he spoke with her and the other human male. He didn't stay long. He continued to smile as he left the building, only to frown and shake his head when he got outside. The three young woman noticed him and ran over to him.

"Houjou," the one with the headband looked at him with concern on her face. "I see you met Kagome's boyfriend."

"I was beginning to think I had a real chance against the guy, with the way you girls described him. You told me he was supposed to be a real jerk. That guy seems pretty nice to me. And, you can tell by the way Kagome looks at him that she's stuck on him." Houjou sighed. It was equally as obvious to him that the guy felt the same way about Kagome. 

The four young people walked away together, still talking as they moved away from where Youkai Inu-Yasha stood. They hadn't noticed him as he stood in the shadows near the front of the building. At least this was one human male he wouldn't have to worry about. Kagome had been pleasant to him, but from the look on her face he could see that she had no real interest in the young man.

Youkai Inu-Yasha continued to watch Kagome and the dark-haired man as they ate their meal. He silently followed them as they left, watching for any indication that he needed to take action. 

The walk back to Kagome's house was uneventful. Youkai Inu-Yasha felt relief when the dark-haired man kept his hands in his pockets and complained the entire way. He would not have to take action against the human. At least not yet. One thing was certain. He needed to get Kagome away from this man. He would have to watch for his chance.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Inuyasha. Those are the property of one Rumiko Takahashi. I thank her whole-heartedly for giving us such an amazing manga/anime to read/watch. 

One Heart – Chapter 5

Youkai Inu-Yasha followed Kagome and his human half to Kagome's house, making certain to stay hidden in the shadows. It wouldn't do to alert them to his presence. At least not yet. He would have to be patient and wait for his chance to find Kagome alone. 

He watched from the shadows as they opened the door and entered her house. As the door closed, he crept from his hiding place among the bushes and quickly ran to the back of the house, jumping silently to the branches of the tree near Kagome's bedroom window. Once in the tree he sat with his back against the trunk, making certain he had a clear view of the bedroom. Then he waited.

Kagome kicked off her shoes as she entered her house. She noticed that Human Inu-Yasha seemed to be having some discomfort, so she squatted in front of him and helped him remove his sandals. 

"You don't have to do that," he mumbled. It felt good to have the restrictive footwear off his feet, but he felt uncomfortable having Kagome taking his shoes off. The touch of her hand on his raw flesh was gentle as she examined his sore feet.

"We'll have to have you soak your feet for a while. You're not used to wearing shoes and you're probably going to have some pretty bad blisters by morning." She stood up and looked at him. "I'll set up a footbath for you after I get cleaned up. Actually, we both could use a good bath after today. I'll go first, if you don't mind."

Human Inu-Yasha shook his head. He was sore and tired and more than a little worried about the fact that there was a youkai version of himself still running loose. He would have to keep an eye on Kagome, make sure to keep her safe. 

Kagome took Human Inu-Yasha's hand and led him into the living room. Mama looked up from the mending she had been doing and smiled. It didn't take her long to realize that their serious expressions could only mean that their search had proved unsuccessful.

"Any luck?" she asked, although she already knew the answer.

Kagome shook her head. "We looked everywhere I could remember Inu-Yasha ever going when he was here, but there was no sign of him."

A gruff snoring sound interrupted her. Ji-chan was dozing in his favorite chair, the television flickering in front of him. 

"Mama, do we have anything Inu-Yasha can soak his feet with?" She indicated Human Inu-Yasha's red and swollen feet.

"I'll get something," Mama said as she put aside the blouse she had been mending and stood up. She quickly went in search of the Epson salt and a suitable tub to use for a footbath. 

"I'll go take my bath. Why don't you watch TV while you wait." She pointed to the couch as she turned to leave the room.

A moment later Human Inu-Yasha heard the bathroom door close. He didn't like being out of Kagome's sight, but tried to relax. After all, nothing would happen to her in there, and he was only a few feet away. He sat heavily on the couch and leaned back, closing his eyes for just a moment.

He awoke abruptly when he felt a hand on his arm.

"Inu-Yasha?" Kagome looked at him as he stared, not remembering for a moment where he was. She was dressed in her pajamas and even with his human senses he could make out the scent of her shampoo and soap. She had used the floral fragrance that he liked so much on her.

"I didn't mean to fall asleep, " he grumbled as he quickly stood up. He winced as he put weight on his damaged feet. 

"Go and get cleaned up while I get your footbath ready. Mama found some sweatpants you can use to sleep in. She told me to have you leave the jeans and t-shirt out for her to wash. They'll be ready in the morning." Kagome looked worriedly at Human Inu-Yasha's feet. They would have to find something else for him to wear tomorrow.

Human Inu-Yasha walked slowly to the bathroom while Kagome went to the kitchen. There she filled the tub Mama had found for her wit hot water and added a generous amount of Epson salt. She draped a towel over her arm and lifted the full tub, walking slowly to the stairs and up to her bedroom so she didn't spill the water. Once in her room, she set the tub down and walked to her bed. There she took the towel and folded it in half before setting it on the floor. She walked to the tub of water and carried it to the bed, placing it on the folded towel. The water was very hot, but should cool before Human Inu-Yasha finished his bath.

A sound behind her startled her. She turned quickly, her eyes and mouth opening wide in surprise. There stood the object of their earlier search. Youkai Inu-Yasha. He had apparently come in through her bedroom window, which now stood open.

"Kagome," he growled, a slight smile playing on his lips. He moved towards her.

Kagome gasped, frozen with shock. She had never stopped to think about how he would look as a full youkai. 

Youkai Inu-Yasha's long silvery-white hair framed his face as always, but gone were the velvety triangular ears from the top of his head. Instead, the pointed tops of his youkai ears peeked out from the hair at the sides of his head. His eyes were golden and on his cheeks were the same markings that graced Sesshoumaru's face. Mostly hidden by his bangs was the crescent moon shape on his forehead. He was still dressed in his normal clothes, although it seemed to Kagome that something was different. Something was missing, but what it was eluded her. 

She had never seen him like this. She realized that she should have expected this, since he was a full youkai, after all.

"Inu-Yasha?" she whispered nervously. She suddenly found herself wondering what to expect from him. 

"Good, you don't smell of that human male," he closed the distance between them, grabbing Kagome roughly by the shoulders and pulling her to him. Then, suddenly he lifted her and sprinted to the window, jumping from it to the ground below. He moved effortlessly, even as he carried Kagome with him. He once again cleared the wall that surrounded the shrine complex that was her home. 

Human Inu-Yasha finished his bath and dried off. He slipped on the soft gray sweatpants that Kagome's mother had laid out for him. They were less restrictive than the jeans he had been wearing, and the fabric was soft against his skin. He glanced at himself in the full-length mirror that hung on the bathroom wall. Well, if Kagome had liked him wearing the jeans, perhaps she would like him in this. His chest was bare, as were his feet. The sweatpants weren't snug, but they were more form-fitting than his usual garb. His wet hair hung down his back. 

"I guess I better dry it," he mumbled to himself, looking around for the contraption that Souta had used on him before to dry his hair. He found it on a shelf next to the sink. After a few moments he figured out how to plug it in and turn it on, taking time to dry his hair before going up to Kagome's room. Once his hair was almost dry, he turned off the hair dryer and unplugged it, taking time to once again look at his reflection in the mirror. 

I could get used to this, he thought to himself. Being human wasn't all that bad. In fact, he was starting to discover that perhaps it had more advantages than he had considered. The thought of living here with Kagome's family as a human had possibilities. He wondered what Kagome would think of the idea as he walked from the bathroom upstairs to Kagome's bedroom.

The door to her bedroom was closed. Human Inu-Yasha knocked lightly, expecting to hear Kagome's cheerful voice tell him to come in. After a few seconds of no response, he knocked again, this time harder. Several seconds passed and there was still no response. 

"What the hell?" he mumbled as he turned the doorknob and pushed the door open. His footbath lay cooling next to Kagome's bed, but she was nowhere to be seen. Then he noticed the open window. Kagome would never leave the window open when it was this cool outside. His gut instinct told him something was wrong. Very wrong.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Inuyasha. Those are the property of one Rumiko Takahashi. I thank her whole-heartedly for giving us such an amazing manga/anime to read/watch. 

One Heart – Chapter 6

Kagome clung to Youkai Inu-Yasha as he grabbed her and jumped from her bedroom window. He landed effortlessly on the hard ground below and quickly sprinted to the stone wall surrounding the shrine courtyard. He cleared the wall in one easy leap and quickly ran through the dark, following the path he had taken earlier that day. 

Kagome wasn't sure how to react. His appearance had caught her off-guard. She knew he would be full youkai, but for some reason the idea of him looking like his half-brother, Sesshoumaru, had never occurred to her. Even now, she found herself looking up at his face as he ran through the dark, the only light coming from an occasional street lamp. His features were the same as always, with the exception of his ears. However, now there were two slender streaks of purple on each cheek, and, even though she couldn't see it in the dark, on his forehead was the shape of a crescent moon. 

The chill night air cut through Kagome's thin pajamas and still-damp hair. She shivered against the cold.

Youkai Inu-Yasha felt her shiver and pulled her closer to him as he ran. Now that he had Kagome back, everything was working out perfectly.

He continued to run, hugging her slender frame against him for warmth, until they reached their destination. Youkai Inu-Yasha had taken note of possible places for him to take her to. Now he stopped in front of a large, unoccupied home. It was nothing less than a mansion. He knew from earlier that the scent of humans had been very faded, indicating that nobody had been there for a while. The building and grounds were immaculate. It would take very little preparation to make the place suitable as a home for himself and his chosen mate. 

He quickly circled the house until he found a window that wasn't secure. He pushed it open and jumped through, still holding Kagome tightly against him. He carefully set her down and closed the window.

"Where are we?" Kagome looked around her in confusion. So much had happened so fast that she hadn't had the time to sort things out. Now she stood in the middle of a stranger's house, shivering in her pajamas while Youkai Inu-Yasha made sure the place was uninhabited. He left the room without answering. 

It only took him a moment to check the main floor. He walked back into the room where Kagome waited. It was dark in the room except for the moonlight which spilled through the windows, but by the furnishings, it was apparent that this house belonged to someone of some wealth. 

"Where are we?" Kagome repeated. 

"Your new home." 

Human Inu-Yasha quickly searched Kagome's bedroom for any sign of where she had gone. The tub of water for his footbath lay on the floor by her bed where she had put it. Nothing seemed to be out of place, and there was no sign of a struggle. He ran down the stairs and checked the living room and kitchen, but found no sign of her. 

"Can I help you find something?" Kagome's mother walked into the kitchen while he was looking.

"Did Kagome come down here?" He tried to keep his voice calm. There was no need to alarm her mother. At least not yet. 

"No. She took your footbath upstairs and hasn't been down since. She's probably in her room." She paused, studying his expression. 

"Okay, what's wrong?" Mrs. Higurashi sat down on one of the kitchen chairs and indicated a second one. 

Inu-Yasha quickly sat down. This wasn't going to be easy.

"She's gone. I went to her bedroom after I finished my bath and she isn't there. The window was open, though, and Kagome would never leave it open like that….." 

"You think she went with your other half, don't you?" Mrs. Higurashi's voice was calm. She didn't appear to be concerned that his youkai half may have taken off with her daughter.

"I think he took her. Aren't you worried?" He was confused at Mrs. Higurashi's lack of concern for her daughter. 

"Worried? Inu-Yasha, you would never hurt Kagome. That I'm certain of. I never worry about her when she's with you. I know you'll always keep her safe." 

He was shocked by her confidence in him. However, it wasn't him that Kagome was with. She was with his youkai self. How could her mother not be worried?

"He's a youkai. There's no telling what he'll do." Human Inu-Yasha found himself getting angry. Angry at his youkai self for abducting Kagome. Angry with Mrs. Higurashi for her apparent lack of concern over her daughter's disappearance. But, mostly angry at himself for not being able to protect Kagome from his youkai half. He ended his speech with a fist slamming against the kitchen table.

"Calm down, Inu-Yasha. Believe me, I know you would never hurt my daughter. Even if you are split into two right now, I honestly believe that neither of your halves would hurt her."

"Well, I'm worried about her, even if you're not. And, I'm not just going to sit here while he's got her who-knows-where. I'm going to find her."

"And how do you think you're going to do that?" Ji-chan's voice interrupted. He was standing at the doorway, apparently having woken from his nap in his favorite chair.

"Well, I…. I don't know, but I've got to do something." Human Inu-Yasha turned to glare at Kagome's grandfather. He seemed as unconcerned about Kagome as her mother was. Why couldn't they understand? He had to get her away from his youkai self.

"Are you sure he took her? Maybe she went with him willingly." Ji-chan sat down on one of the kitchen chairs. 

Mrs. Higurashi stood up and walked to the stove. She picked up a tea pot and put it on a burner, turning the flame on to warm water for tea. 

Human Inu-Yasha didn't answer. For the first time since discovering that Kagome was gone, he had to face the fact that perhaps she had gone willingly with his youkai half. The prospect was not something he wanted to think about. 

"NO," Human Inu-Yasha shook his head. He refused to believe it. Kagome wouldn't have left with his youkai half. Not willingly, at least. And, she would never have left without telling him. Would she?

His chair scraped against the kitchen floor as he quickly stood up. "I'm going to take a walk." 

Mrs. Higurashi watched as he left the room and then turned to the stove, where the water for Ji-chan's tea had started to boil. She poured his water and placed a tea bag in the cup, setting it in front of him on the table before she sat back down.

"He really cares about her." 

Ji-chan simply nodded as he sipped his tea. 

"What do you mean, my new home? I already have a home, thank you, and I really would like to go back there now." Kagome stood shivering in the dark. The cool night air had chilled her already, and now she stood wearing nothing but thin pajamas in an unheated house. She was tired and worried, and more than a little angry at the fact that she was taken from her house without even being asked. 

Youkai Inu-Yasha glared at her. "What do you mean, you want to go back. You belong here, with me."

He moved towards her, grabbing her roughly by her shoulders. Kagome looked up at him in surprise.

"You want to go back to him. That's why you want to go home, isn't it?" his voice had become raspy and his anger grew. "You want to go back to that weak human male I saw you with earlier."

He shook her slightly. "Who is he? Why do you want to go back to a lowly human like him?"

Kagome's eyes opened wide with surprise. He had never been so rough with her before, even though he hadn't hurt her. More than that, his question could only mean one thing. He had no idea what had happened to him.

"He's you." 


	7. Chapter 7

One Heart – Chapter 7

"Feh!" Youkai Inu-Yasha glared at her for a moment. Suddenly he shook his head and laughed.

"So, that's what I used to look like on the night of a new moon. At least I don't have to worry about that any more. And, I didn't even need the Shikon no Tama to become a full youkai."

"You sound like you like being split in two," Kagome's voice was strained. Apparently this was a possibility she hadn't considered fully. If his youkai half was content with the way things were, how would she get him back together with his human half?

"I'm not split in two. Well, at least I'm not a half of anything. For the first time in my life, I'm really a full youkai. I never felt this strong. I run faster than ever, and my senses are all more sensitive. Good riddance to that weak human part of me."

"Weak human? Are you forgetting that I'm human…" Kagome pulled away from him and turned to look out the window. She was having a difficult time keeping her voice from wavering. How could he want to stay like this? What would happen to his human half? Could they even survive apart from each other? The questions filled her mind as she looked out the window into the darkness. 

Youkai Inu-Yasha looked at Kagome's back, not knowing how to respond. How could she not be happy that he had finally achieved what he had wanted for so many years? 

"I would like to go home now." Kagome's voice was soft. She turned slowly to face him.

"I told you, this is your home now."

"You can't just walk into a house and claim it. This isn't the Sengoku Jidai, you know. There are laws here, and one of them says you can't steal another person's property. Somebody obviously lives here, even if they aren't here right now. And, anyway, this isn't my home. I would like to go back now."

Youkai Inu-Yasha glared at Kagome. "You're my woman. You'll do as I tell you."

_His woman_? Did he really see her that way? 

"You can't order me around like that. I want to go home now."

"Well, I'm not going anywhere." Youkai Inu-Yasha moved towards her.

For the first time since she had gotten to know him, Inu-Yasha was frightening her. This wasn't like him. He could be arrogant at times, but he had always had a soft side, too. At this moment, though, it appeared that his soft side had been left with his human half. 

Kagome's mouth started to form the word _osuwari_ when she noticed that the rosary that usually circled Inu-Yasha's neck was missing. The realization sank in that she was alone in a strange house with an angry full-youkai version of her Inu-Yasha minus the one thing that allowed her to control him. She backed away from him, glancing nervously around the room. She was having difficulty keeping from crying. 

"Stand still, wench. Unless you want me to drop you." He reached her and quickly picked her up, carrying her back through the window they had entered through. He sat her down while he closed the window behind them.

"What are you doing?" Kagome was puzzled by the sudden change in his behavior.

"You said you wanted to go home. I'm taking you home." He turned to pick her up.

"It would be easier if I just rode on your back. You know, like I always do."

Youkai Inu-Yasha's surprised expression was hidden from her in the darkness. He turned around so she could get on. Kagome reached out in the darkness, feeling where he was before climbing onto his back. Her arms circled his neck while her legs straddled his waist. He gently grabbed her legs, pulling her tightly to him as he quickly sprinted into the darkness.

Human Inu-Yasha had run from the Higurashi house, stopping when he reached the courtyard. He glanced around, suddenly aware that he had absolutely no idea how to find Kagome. For the first time since he had come through the well he really missed his hanyou senses. Normally he would have been able to catch her scent and follow it. However, now he glanced around the darkness with no idea which way to go. He felt useless. Kagome was out there, somewhere, with that youkai and he had no idea how to find her.

He wandered around the courtyard, trying to figure out what to do. If that damned youkai hurt Kagome, he would kill it. 

He found himself at the foot of the Goshinboku tree. Its leaves rustled in the breeze and he could see the moon peeking through the branches. This was the one thing that connected him to his own time. That connected him to Kagome. After all, it was right here that they had met. Well, this place, but in his time.

Human Inu-Yasha slumped against the tree. The bark was rough on his skin as he put his back to the tree and slid downwards, ending up in a crouch at the foot of it. He had no idea how long he was there, but was startled by something moving. It flashed past him and seemed to jump to Kagome's bedroom window. 

He quickly got up and ran as fast as he could into the house. The front door slammed behind him as he took the stairs to Kagome's room two at a time. He slid to a stop just inside her bedroom.

Standing there staring at him was his youkai half. Kagome was just climbing off the other's back and hadn't noticed him.

"What the hell did you do with Kagome?" Human Inu-Yasha demanded of the youkai.

Youkai Inu-Yasha just snarled and turned to Kagome.

"You wanted to come back, so I brought you back. Surely this isn't why you wanted to come here?" He waved a hand in Human Inu-Yasha's direction.

Human Inu-Yasha stepped forward, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

"You had no right to run off with Kagome. If you had hurt her…" 

"You'd what?" Youkai Inu-Yasha laughed. "You're just a weak human. You couldn't do anything to me."

Kagome stood, looking from one to the other. Their arguing was making her nervous. She felt she had to do something. Just as the two started moving towards each other she stepped between them.

"Stop it, already. If you are going to act like this then you're both going to have to leave." She looked nervously at Youkai Inu-Yasha, not quite sure how he would react. His lack of the rosary had her worried. If he got out of hand, she would have no way to stop him.

Youkai Inu-Yasha simply laughed again. "Saved by a girl. You really are a pathetic human."

"Don't forget. I'm just a pathetic human, too." Kagome had started to become angry. Why couldn't Inu-Yasha's youkai half accept his human half? She was starting to really worry that her plan for bringing the two back together was going to fail miserably.

Youkai Inu-Yasha reached out and cupped his hand under Kagome's chin. "You might be human, but you will never be pathetic. Besides, you have me to take care of you. You don't need to be strong."

"She doesn't need you to take care of her. She's got me." Human Inu-Yasha shouted.

A knock at the door startled them all.

"Is everything all right, Kagome?" Mama's voice was full of concern as she opened the door and stepped into Kagome's bedroom.

"You boys need to keep the voices down. Souta is asleep. He has to get up for school in the morning and I don't want you to wake him up." She turned to Kagome. "Actually, you need to get some sleep, too, dear. You miss enough school when you are gone. You can't afford to miss any when you're home."

Kagome sighed. How could she worry about school when she had to play referee to Inu-Yasha's two halves? 

Mrs. Higurashi glanced at the two Inu-Yasha's with Kagome. 

"Well, I'll have to get some blankets and pillows. Do you think the two of you can behave well enough to stay here tonight?"

"Feh!" Youkai Inu-Yasha turned and glared at his human half. "I'm not staying here with him." He turned and glared at his human half. "You better keep your hands off her." Then, he darted to the open window and jumped out, landing silently in the branches of the tree outside Kagome's window. He propped himself against a branch so that he could keep Kagome's room in view.

Human Inu-Yasha glared at his youkai half. "Well, at least he's not in the same room. I'll sleep on the floor in here, if you don't mind. Someone has to make sure he doesn't try something with Kagome – again."

Kagome sighed. She had a feeling this was going to be a long night.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Inuyasha. Those are the property of one Rumiko Takahashi. I thank her whole-heartedly for giving us such an amazing manga/anime to read/watch. 

One Heart – Chapter 8

Kagome sighed and left her bedroom. She wanted nothing more than to get some sleep, but had a feeling it was going to be a sleepless night. She quickly walked to the bathroom, turning suddenly when she heard a noise behind her.

Human Inu-Yasha was behind her on the stairs, with his youkai counterpart just coming through her bedroom door.

"I don't need an entourage just to brush my teeth, " she complained as she stepped into the bathroom and quickly closed the door.

Inu-Yasha's two halves glared at each other and took a place on either side of the door. Neither was willing to trust the other with Kagome, and waited impatiently while she got ready for bed. She opened the door, frowning when she saw the looks they were giving each other. 

"Don't forget what Mama said, you two. I'm going to bed." She turned and walked quickly back upstairs to her bedroom. She shook her head as she heard the two Inu-Yasha's following her. 

Human Inu-Yasha quickly took his place on the floor by Kagome's bed, smirking at Youkai Inu-Yasha as he went to the window and jumped silently to the tree branch. 

"Now, do you think you two can get along tonight? I really mean it, I need to get some sleep," Kagome yawned as she slipped under her blanket. 

Youkai Inu-Yasha growled softly. "You better keep your hands off Kagome. She's my woman!"

Human Inu-Yasha moved closer to the bed and smirked. "Actually, she's mine. Even her friends know."

Kagome buried her face in her pillow. Things were really getting out of hand and she had no idea what to do. If she couldn't get his two halves to get along now, how was she going to be able to get them to agree to become one again? That is, if there was even a way to bring them back together. She could feel tears pooling in her eyes and tried to fight them. What if she couldn't get _her_ Inu-Yasha back? 

She struggled to shut out the taunts and threats the two threw back and forth for a while. Eventually, though, exhaustion claimed her as she fell into a restless sleep. 

Kagome woke to the sound of her alarm. She groaned as she reached to shut it off, feeling as though she hadn't slept at all. She glanced down at Human Inu-Yasha who was still sleeping on the floor by her bed. One look told her that Youkai Inu-Yasha was awake and watching her from his perch in the tree outside her window. He quickly jumped into the room when he saw that Kagome was awake.

"Damn it, would you watch where you're stepping, you idiot?" Human Inu-Yasha glared up at his other half, who had just stepped on him as he slept on the floor. The two continued to argue as Kagome took out a clean uniform and fled to the bathroom to get ready for school. She was looking forward to the relative peacefulness of the classroom. _They're worse than the boys at school_, she thought to herself as she pulled her top on over her head. 

When she finished dressing she brushed her hair and headed to the kitchen. The two Inu-Yasha's were already there. Human Inu-Yasha was gulping down a bowl of instant ramen that her mother had made for him while his youkai counterpart sat glaring at him.

"Good morning, Mama," Kagome said as she kissed her mother's cheek. 

Mama looked at her, a concerned expression on her face. "Honey, are you feeling all right? You look a little pale, and there are dark circles under your eyes." Mama reached out a hand and gently placed the back of it against Kagome's forehead.

"I'm okay, Mama. Just a little tired," she sighed as she looked from one Inu-Yasha to the other. No wonder she was tired. When she had finally been able to fall asleep she had dreamt about the two fighting, just as they had been while she was awake. 

"If you're sure," Mama nodded and then gave a stern look to the two Inu-Yasha's. She was sure they were the cause of Kagome's condition. She would have to make them sleep elsewhere if they weren't allowing her daughter to rest. 

The two Inu-Yasha's continued their bickering while Kagome tried to eat breakfast. For some reason, she really wasn't hungry, and the more she tried to force herself to eat, the worse things tasted to her. Her stomach started knotting up again, forcing her to drink her tea and leave the solid food behind. She didn't notice Human Inu-Yasha leave the room while she checked through her backpack. When she was sure she hadn't forgotten anything, she glanced at the clock. 

"I'm going to be late for school," Kagome gasped, grabbing her heavy book bag and slinging it over her shoulder. She ran to the front door and slipped on her shoes before pushing open the door and practically running into Human Inu-Yasha, who stood outside waiting for her.

"What are you doing out here?" She glanced around, fearful that his counterpart would start arguing any moment. 

"I'm walking you to school," he said blandly. She noticed that he had put back on the blue jeans from the day before, only now he wore a dark blue t-shirt. She stared at him for a moment, unable to keep from thinking that he had looked better in the red shirt. Then again, she was used to seeing him wearing red most of the time.

Kagome shook her head. "I don't need an escort. I can get to school by myself," she called over her shoulder, pleading with her eyes that he not follow her. He took several steps towards her before stopping, his hands fisting at his sides as he looked past her. Kagome was too busy looking behind her to notice until she ran straight into him. 

Youkai Inu-Yasha stood in front of her. He glared at his other half, ignoring Kagome as he stepped forward.

"Please, don't do this!" she begged. She could feel the tension between the two, but had absolutely no idea what to do to stop them from fighting. 

They both turned and looked at her. Kagome was shaking, her eyes tightly shut as she tried to calm the fear growing inside of her. More and more she was beginning to worry that this was the way things would be from now on. There was no rosary to control him. There was no reasoning with _him_ when he was split into two such different personalities. How could she not have noticed the conflict before this? Was this what went on inside of him all the time? Youkai versus human. He had wanted to become a full youkai, even to the point where he had tried to steal the Shikon no tama. Then he met Kikyou and was given the chance to become full human with the aid of the jewel. Was his hanyou self caught in this battle of his two sides? 

Kagome glanced from one to the other, silently wishing for a miracle that would bring them suddenly back to her one Inu-Yasha. She missed his arrogant yet gentle manner. She missed the way he made her feel. She longed for those wonderful pointed ears that were now missing from the top of his head. 

She turned and began to run towards the school. She felt her breath catch in her throat as the realization set in that this could be the way things would be permanently. Surely there would be no way to bring his two halves back together if they fought each other this much. That was assuming there would be a way even if she could get them to agree to it. 

She could hear them following her, but they stayed behind. Kagome reached the school and dashed to the door, silently praying that she wouldn't be followed inside. She dodged several students to quickly get to her classroom where she dropped her bag and sagged into her seat. Funny how the room seemed so unfamiliar to her. After all her time in the Sengoku Jidai she felt like an outsider at times. Things that used to matter to her, like getting good grades and hanging out with her friends, paled in comparison to the issues of life and death she had to face on a daily basis in Inu-Yasha's time. And, now, those issues had invaded her time and she was at a loss as to how to deal with them. 

Kagome didn't notice when the teacher entered the room. She was oblivious to everything around her as her own internal conflict came to light. Was her own personal struggle all that much different than what Inu-Yasha must have always felt? For her, it was being torn between two places, two times. Never completely fitting in at either place. She had been content to be a typical teenager before. But, that was not something she could be now. Too much had happened to her. She was not the same naïve girl who had been pulled through the well on her fifteenth birthday. Part of her belonged here, but there was a part of her that belonged back there, with Inu-Yasha and the others. 

"Higarashi," the teacher's voice broke through her thoughts. 

"Yes?" 

"I was asking you a question. Do you think you can stop daydreaming long enough to pay attention to the lesson?" 

Several of her classmates laughed while her close friends exchanged concerned looks. Perhaps Kagome was still ill and shouldn't have pushed herself to come to school. 

Kagome quickly found where the teacher was at in the textbook and mumbled something that only made half-sense to her. 

Apparently she was right, because the teacher nodded and proceeded to ask another student the next question. 

She allowed her thoughts to wander back to Inu-Yasha. Through it all, he was the one thing that kept her going. She had finally admitted her feelings to herself. She was in love with Inu-Yasha. She knew he didn't feel the same way about her, but it hadn't mattered. Whether she was here or there, he was the one thing that made her feel connected. Both of her _halves_ loved him. It didn't change whether she was here or there.

_I need to find something that connects his two halves. Something that is strong enough to want them to come back together_. Her hopes rose at the thought, only to be dashed when she realized what she would have to use to convince him.

Kikyou. While Kagome's heart belonged to Inu-Yasha, his heart still belonged to the miko he had known all those years before. The one who had been tricked with him into betraying each other. The one who had sealed him to the tree where Kagome had found and released him. The one who now wandered the earth in a reanimated body, vowing to drag Inu-Yasha to hell with her. 

Kikyou. Surely if Inu-Yasha knew the only way to get back to his time and to Kikyou would be to come back together, both his halves would be willing. 

Kagome felt a tightness in her chest. Kikyou was the one dark spot in her own heart. She knew why she felt the way she did, but it didn't stop it from hurting. Inu-Yasha would never stop loving Kikyou, no matter what she did. It didn't even matter that the miko was nothing more than a walking zombie. 

Her eyes felt hot with unshed tears as she steeled herself for what she knew she must do. Her feelings were not important now. Helping Inu-Yasha was all that mattered.

The rest of the day felt like a dream to her. Her mind was anywhere but on her school work, although she managed to score well on the two exams she took. Somehow it all just didn't seem important. What mattered now was bringing Inu-Yasha's two halves back together, even if it meant giving up all hope herself of him ever caring for her the way she cared for him. 

The final bell of the day rang, interrupting Kagome's jumbled thoughts. She lifted her bag, suddenly feeling like it was filled with rocks and not books. It was amazing how a person's perception of things changed when they knew their world was coming to an end.

Kagome trudged slowly from the school, feeling anything but eagerness at the plan she was about to put into motion. 


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Inuyasha. Those are the property of one Rumiko Takahashi. I thank her whole-heartedly for giving us such an amazing manga/anime to read/watch. 

One Heart – Chapter 9

Kagome was at the edge of the school grounds when a familiar voice cut through her thoughts.

"Higarashi!"

_Shit_, she thought to herself as she turned and gave Houjou what she hoped was a pleasant smile. The last thing she needed was his overly optimistic, insistent attitude when all she wanted to do was get home and deal with the two Inu-Yasha's before she lost her resolve. 

"Oh, hi, Houjou-kun," she said as she kept on walking. She hoped he would notice that she was preoccupied and leave her alone.

"Are you okay, Higarashi?" 

"I'm fine, " she said over her shoulder without slowing down.

Houjou quickly fell in step with her as he pushed his bicycle along between them.

"I couldn't help but be a little worried, Higarashi," he commented as he studied her face. "You look a little pale and you seem to have something bothering you."

Kagome sighed. She did appreciate his concern, but really didn't have time to deal with him. She turned to him, opening her mouth to respond, only to be cut off by the feel of an arm circling her waist.

"Hey, Kagome." Human Inu-Yasha glared at her schoolmate before turning her towards him and pulling her into his arms. 

"Inu-Yasha," she hissed softly into his ear as he gently pressed her face into his shoulder. "What are you doing?"

"I came to pick you up from school, of course, Kagome," he said with an emphasis on her name. He was not about to let this well-mannered pretty boy move in on his woman and was determined to make sure that Houjou knew exactly who Kagome was with.

Kagome noticed a rustling in some nearby bushes and glanced at them. She caught a flash of silvery-white and what sounded like a low growl coming from behind the plants. 

"Thanks, Houjou-kun," she said quickly and squirmed out of Inu-Yasha's embrace. She took his hand and started pulling him in the direction of her house. "I'll see you tomorrow, Houjou-kun," she called back over her shoulder before glancing nervously at the bushes. The rustling seemed to have stopped, but now she had to worry where the youkai was. 

Houjou looked at the retreating figures of Kagome and Human Inu-Yasha and shrugged before swinging his leg over his bike and pushing forward on one of the pedals. He caught a flash of silvery-white in his peripheral vision but it was gone before he could turn his head to see what it was. 

Either Kagome's friends had been wrong about her supposed boyfriend, or else the object of his own affections had come to her senses and dumped the jerk for a new guy. Both options didn't leave him much room for success with her, but he was determined not to give up. He would simply have to find a way to prove himself to her, he thought as he headed home.

"Inu-Yasha!" Kagome stopped suddenly when they were out of sight of the school. "What's the idea?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, trying to appear innocent. The look on her face told him that he had failed.

"You know darned well what I mean. You were supposed to stay at the house and keep an eye on your youkai half."

Inu-Yasha frowned and pointed to a red-clad figure perched in the branches of a near-by tree. "You mean him? He wasn't going to hang around your house, waiting for you to get home. I figured I'd better come, too, just in case."

A flash of red landed next to Kagome and Human Inu-Yasha. The youkai pushed between them, clenching his hands as he growled at his human counter-part.

"Stop it!" Kagome practically screamed as Human Inu-Yasha pushed her out of the way and took a fighting stance facing Youkai Inu-Yasha. 

They both looked at her at once. Kagome's face had become rather pale and she now stood shaking as she faced them. 

"Kagome." Human Inu-Yasha moved towards Kagome, his concern evident in his expression. "I'd better get you home."

"Think again," Youkai Inu-Yasha spat at him as he scooped Kagome up in his arms and darted off in the direction of the Higarashi Shrine. 

"Damn him, " Human Inu-Yasha muttered as he took off running after them. His bare feet were still blistered and sore and he found himself slowing to not much more than a fast walk before he reached Kagome's home. 

"Put me down," Kagome demanded as Youkai Inu-Yasha leaped silently into her bedroom window. 

He sat her carefully on her feet and then pulled her roughly towards him. "You let that damned human hold you like this," he growled as his arms circled her. His nose twitched as the scent of his human half reached it. He was going to have to do something about the way the human was always touching her. Kagome was his woman, after all. He was prepared to fight to defend his right to her, too.

"Inu-Yasha," she pleaded as she fought to get out of his embrace. The more she struggled the tighter he held her, laughing softly at her attempts.

"You're not going anywhere, Kagome," he snarled as he moved one hand to cup her face and turn it to face his. He leaned his head towards her, his expression unreadable.

Surely he wasn't going to do what he appeared to be doing. She turned her head sharply, pulling from his grip just as the bedroom door flew open.

"If you ever take off with her again," Human Inu-Yasha panted from the doorway as he tried to catch his breath. One look told him that he had arrived just in time.

Kagome managed to free herself from Youkai Inu-Yasha's arms and turned to face the two men who now appeared to be ready to battle.

"Please," she whispered as she practically collapsed, sitting on the edge of her bed and burying her face in her hands. How was she going to be able to reason with them when they were acting like this? 

"See what you're doing to her?" Human Inu-Yasha quickly sat next to her on her bed, sliding a protective arm around her shoulders.

"What do you mean _me_? You're the one who's upsetting her," Youkai Inu-Yasha insisted as he took the spot on her other side and slid his arm around her waist. 

Kagome's head felt like it was about to burst. She could hear Inu-Yasha's two halves arguing back and forth over her, but the words were lost to her. For the first time since he had been split into two, she was losing all hope of getting him back to normal. 

"You have to learn to get along if you want to get back to her." Kagome's voice was quiet and strained as she forced herself to say the words.

"Get back to who?" Human Inu-Yasha asked.

"Kikyou," Kagome stated, glancing at one and then the other. She expected a strong reaction but wasn't prepared for what she got.

"Why the hell would I want to get back to that fucking bitch?" Youkai Inu-Yasha was practically shouting, showing more emotion than he had since he had been split from his human half.

"I'm not going anywhere," Human Inu-Yasha snarled as he tried to pull Kagome closer to himself.

"I don't understand," Kagome started. Youkai Inu-Yasha's reaction had been nothing like she had expected. She was especially surprised at his reference to Kikyou as a _bitch. _

"She wanted to get rid of me, damn it. Why would I want anything to do with her?" Youkai Inu-Yasha snarled as he remembered the events that led to him being sealed to the Goshinboku tree. 

_Get rid of him?_ Kagome suddenly realized what he meant and she turned to look at the youkai sitting next to her. Kikyou had asked Inu-Yasha to use the Shikon no tama to become human. It would have meant not only that the Shikon no tama would disappear, but that she could finally live the life of a normal woman. To do so she would have had to rid Inu-Yasha of his youkai half.

_Get rid of him_. Is that how his youkai half saw what Kikyou had been trying to do? She felt a tightness in her chest as she looked at him. Had he been harboring this anger since Kikyou had asked him to become human? 

"And just what do you think you were trying to do to me?" Human Inu-Yasha glared at his youkai counterpart. 

"I never did anything to you, idiot," the youkai snarled back.

"You wanted to use the Shikon no tama to become full youkai. Just where would that have left me?" Human Inu-Yasha snarled back.

"I had no use for you. You were just a weak human. I knew that if I didn't do something to make myself stronger, we'd be killed." He paused and shook his head, his voice dropping so low it was nearly inaudible. "I thought that Sesshoumaru might accept me if I was full youkai. He was the only family I had left. I was tired of being alone." 

_My God_, thought Kagome. Had this argument been raging inside him all this time, unheard of by anyone but himself? She glanced worriedly from one to the other, trying to find something that would distract them from the rapidly mounting argument. Their voices were getting louder and she could see them both starting to clench their hands, indicating that they were reaching the point of physical action.

She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't find her voice. The only thing that came out was a strangled sob as the tears she had been trying so desperately to hold back ran unchecked down her face. Her own fears over her inability to bring the two halves back together, coupled with her reaction to the deep-rooted hatred and hurt Inu-Yasha's two halves were now lashing out at each other with had become too strong. She felt totally useless as the argument continued to escalate around her. 

"Stop," she sobbed. "Please stop it!" 

The room became strangely silent, the quiet only being broken by Kagome's choked sobs. Human and youkai stared at her before throwing angry glances at each other. 

She was surprised by the feel of a pair of hands on her shoulders. The touch was gentle, concerned. She jumped when two voices said her name at the same time. 

Kagome blinked the tears from her eyes and frantically tried to rub the blur away as she glanced to each side of her. The pair of hands on her shoulders actually were two single hands. Inu-Yasha sat next to her on the bed, both human and youkai. Despite the difference in their appearance, their faces held the same expression. They looked at her with a gentleness she had never seen on his face before. An emotion so deep she felt her breath catch in her throat as she looked at them. 

"Don't cry, Kagome," they said in stereo. Was it her imagination, or were the two moving in unison? 

She shook her head, squeezing her eyes tightly shut as she tried to force back the tears. Hands gently wiped away her tears, again in unison as the two Inu-Yasha's sat by her sides. 

_What's going on? _She felt confused as two sets of eyes filled with concern looked at her.

"See what you've done?" Human Inu-Yasha snapped at his youkai counterpart.

Youkai Inu-Yasha growled, "Nothing more than you've done, idiot."

"If you would only think about Kagome's feelings."

"You're the one who's been thinking about himself."

There was a moment of silence. 

"What are we going to do?"

Two voices, so similar and yet with just a slight difference in attitude, continued to argue back and forth across her. Her mind was reeling as she felt herself pulled back and forth between the two battling Inu-Yasha's. She wasn't going to be able to take much more of this.

"STOP IT!" she screamed. Kagome's shoulders shook as she gasped for breath. Tears flowed freely as she buried her face in her hands. _Stop it_, she repeated silently. All she wanted was her Inu-Yasha back. Was that really asking too much?

They stopped arguing and looked at Kagome. 

"We're tearing her up," one voice said quietly.

"What do you suggest we do, idiot?" the other answered.

"If you think about it, there's only one way to stop hurting Kagome."

"And, what if I don't agree?"

"Just look at her. Are you going to refuse?"

"I'm the one who is losing the most here, moron."

"We'll both lose if we don't stop this."

There was a moment of silence.

"You seem to know so much about this. What exactly do we do?"

"I don't know."

Kagome continued to struggle against her despair. She felt detached from the voices around her, barely feeling the touch as two sets of hands pulled her to her feet. Warm arms surrounded her, holding her with a gentle firmness that made her relax. _Which one is it?_ she found herself wondering. 

With her sobs under control, Kagome opened her eyes and gasped. Both Inu-Yasha's were by her, their arms holding her gently. 

"Inu-Yasha?" she whispered. Two heads responded, looking at her. 

Human Inu-Yasha suddenly lifted her into his arms and moved to the bedroom door.

"And just where do you think you're taking her?" Youkai Inu-Yasha moved forward and blocked the door.

"You know where, idiot. Just open the door."

Youkai Inu-Yasha pulled the door open and watched silently as his human counterpart carried Kagome through it. He followed without a word.

They made their way downstairs and out of the house, passing close by the Goshinboku tree as they moved to the mini shrine. Youkai Inu-Yasha reached the door first and opened it, closing it behind him as they stepped into the semi-darkness of the building. They moved down the stairs and paused near the old bone-eater's well. 

"So, what's the idea? Why did we come here?"

Human Inu-Yasha set Kagome down. "It just seemed to be the right place to go, " he said without looking at his youkai counterpart. 

"Feh!"

"What are we doing in here?" Kagome looked around her in confusion. Why had they brought her to the mini-shrine? 

"This is where it happened, after all, " Human Inu-Yasha said softly.

"It's what you wanted, isn't it?" 

Kagome turned to look at Youkai Inu-Yasha. "What do you mean? _What I wanted_?"


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Inuyasha. Those are the property of one Rumiko Takahashi. I thank her whole-heartedly for giving us such an amazing manga/anime to read/watch. 

One Heart – Chapter 10

Kagome continued to look back and forth between Inu-Yasha's two halves. At first she thought neither would answer, but after a moment of silence, Human Inu-Yasha spoke.

"This is where we first split into two separate beings, right?"

Kagome nodded mutely, still not sure what the two young men had in mind. One thing that had caught her attention was the fact that they had stopped arguing. In fact, they almost seemed to be cooperating with each other. She had been sure that the thought of getting back to Kikyou would have been enough to make them want to recombine, but after their reactions she knew her plan had not worked. At least not directly. It was not Kikyou, but something else that was drawing them together. 

She glanced at each of them, searching their faces for some clue to why they had stopped fighting. And, why they had brought her to the well. 

Youkai Inu-Yasha broke the silence. "Can you choose between the two of us?"

_Choose_? No, she knew she could never choose between the two of them. They were both part of Inu-Yasha. _Her_ Inu-Yasha. The stubborn, arrogant, short-tempered hanyou who had won her heart. She felt a lump in her throat as she let her feelings for him wash through her. 

"You know I can't," she said quietly. 

"I'm not willing to give you up," the youkai said as he glanced at his human counterpart.

"Well, don't look at me. I'm not willing to give her up, either."

"And, since Kagome won't pick between us, there's only one thing we can do. "

Human Inu-Yasha nodded. "We're hurting her this way."

Once again Kagome looked from one to the other, not letting herself hope too much for what seemed to be happening. Could they really be cooperating because of her?

"Kagome," the two Inu-Yasha's said in unison. There was something in the tone of their voices that caught her attention. 

Human Inu-Yasha stepped towards her. "What is it you really want, Kagome?"

Kagome closed her eyes. Her mind's eye saw an image of Inu-Yasha, but, not how he stood before her now. She could picture his soft, golden eyes. His mouth turned up in a smirk. Long, silvery-white hair framing his boyishly handsome face. And, on top of it all, two perfect triangles of flesh and fur perched on the top of his head. Those wonderful ears. She wondered if she would every be able to reach out and rub them again. She knew it irritated Inu-Yasha when she did, but there was something about them she just couldn't resist. 

"I want Inu-Yasha," she whispered.

"I'm right here," two voices said in stereo. 

"No." She shook her head. "I want _my_ Inu-Yasha back." 

She could feel tears building up behind her tightly shut eyelids. She didn't want to cry again, but she had never before felt so helpless, so lost. The light touch of an arm going around her surprised her. She opened her eyes to see both Inu-Yasha's at her side. 

"We have no choice," Human Inu-Yasha said as he looked at his youkai half.

"Feh," Youkai Inu-Yasha countered. "I'm doing this under protest." However, the softness in his voice as he looked at Kagome suggested otherwise.

Kagome found herself wrapped in their arms. For a moment she wasn't sure where one Inu-Yasha started and the other ended, both held her so closely. She found herself lifting her arms and circling them around both Inu-Yasha's shoulders, her fingers weaving through their hair as she clung to them. 

"Kagome." Again the voices spoke in unison. 

Kagome closed her eyes tightly, fighting back the urge to cry as she buried her face between them. Once again she could picture the hanyou Inu-Yasha in her mind's eye. _Her _Inu-Yasha. Each of his halves held part of him, but each was just that. A half. What she wanted at that moment, more than anything she had ever wished for, was for him to be back to normal. 

She could feel a warmth spread through her as her emotions came together with the realization of what he really meant to her. She tightened her hold on them as her feelings became crystal clear. 

"I love you, Inu-Yasha," she cried softly. "I love you."

A soft blue glow started at her fingertips and gently spread around them until all three were enveloped in its warm touch. The shimmering light circled around them, blurring the outlines of both human and youkai as they appeared to merge into one. Kagome could feel her arms move closer together as a single set of arms held her close to him.

"Inu-Yasha?" She looked up in amazement as the blue glow slowly faded. 

A single figure stood next to her, his head lowered as he hugged her to himself. Silvery white hair flowed around her fingers as they still clung to him. For a moment she was afraid to let her vision move upwards, but she had to know. 

Yes, there, on top of his head, rising out of his tuft of bangs, were two perfect triangles of flesh and fur. They moved slightly as Kagome let out an involuntary gasp.

"What's wrong?" Inu-Yasha moved Kagome away from her and studied her face. 

She smiled and shook her head. "Nothing's wrong. Everything's just perfect."

Kagome knew it was useless to resist the urge that made first one hand, and then the other, reach up to his ears and lightly rub them.

Inu-Yasha chuckled softly and pulled her back into his embrace. "One of these days I'll have to tell you exactly what that does to me, Kagome." 

Embarrassed, she let her hands slip down to his shoulders and looked at him. Yes, he was back to normal. Well, almost. There was something different about him, but what it was eluded her. 

"Thank you," he murmured near her ear.

"For what?" 

Inu-Yasha hugged her more firmly. "For not giving up. For believing in me." He paused, taking a deep breath as he gently stroked her hair. "For loving me."

Kagome buried her face against his shoulder, suddenly embarrassed by the fact that she had told him her feelings. "You don't have to thank me."

_Wait a minute_, Kagome thought. Had Inu-Yasha actually just said _thank you_ to her? There definitely _was_ something different about him. She stepped back from him and gave him a questioning look.

"Okay, what did you do with the real Inu-Yasha? You almost never say thank you, and even then it's usually for me giving you something to eat."

Inu-Yasha chuckled again. In a sudden movement he lowered himself to a crossed-legged position on the ground, bringing Kagome with him. She found herself sitting on his lap, his arms wound tightly around her.

"I've never been good about saying what I feel. I guess I'm always afraid I'll say the wrong thing. Or, that someone will reject me." His hand lightly stroked Kagome's hair as he looked into her eyes. 

Kagome nodded mutely, studying his face as he spoke. His expression was relaxed and gentle, something she had only seen before when he was sleeping. She was so focused on looking at him that the touch of his hand on her cheek startled her. 

"There's something I need to tell you," he said softly as he cupped her chin in his hand. He leaned towards her, the warmth of his breath tickling her mouth as he said softly, "I love you, too, Kagome."

His lips met hers. Kagome closed her eyes and let her feelings for him take over. She wrapped her arms around him as she relaxed her lips, amazed at how wonderful his kiss felt. She had imagined this moment a thousand times, but the reality was more amazing than anything her mind had conjured up. 

He finally broke the kiss to pull her tightly against him. "Does this mean you'll be my woman?" 

Kagome smiled and snuggled against him. "Definitely, if that's what you want."

"It's what I've wanted for a long time, Kagome. I just wasn't sure it was what you wanted."

They remained in each other's arms, enjoying just being with each other. Inu-Yasha buried his face in her hair, drinking deeply of her scent as he gently stroked her hair and shoulder with one hand. 

They both nearly jumped at the sound of voices outside the door of the mini-shrine.

"But, Mama, I can't find Kagome." Souta's youthful voice was filled with concern.

"Don't worry, Souta, " Mama said softly. "As long as she's with Inu-Yasha, she'll be fine. Right now I want you to go and get washed up for dinner."

They could hear the sound of Souta sprinting off in the direction of the house. Mama appeared to pause by the door of the shrine, but turned and walked slowly back to the house after a moment.

Inu-Yasha chuckled again and moved to stand up. He lifted Kagome with him and stood her on the floor next to him.

"I almost forgot. There's something I have to do." He turned and jumped effortlessly to the rim of the well. Before Kagome could protest, he quickly grabbed onto the edge and lowered himself to the dirt floor at the bottom. 

Kagome could hear him moving in the darkness below, realizing that he had climbed down and not jumped. After all, they didn't know if the well would be safe for him to travel through.

A moment later he reappeared at the edge, lifting himself over the lip to stand facing Kagome. One hand held the Tessaiga, and he waved it in the air in triumph. 

"I don't want this to be too far from me." He slid the scabbard into the cord that he used to hold it with. He continued to hold his other hand behind him, smirking at Kagome as he moved towards her.

"I was scared you would try to go through the well, " Kagome sighed. "After all, we don't know if it's safe for you to pass through it yet. Remember what happened the last time."

Inu-Yasha nodded and then brought his hidden hand forward. In it was his rosary, the ivory claws glowing eerily in the dim light in the well house. 

"The rosary." That was right. Kagome remembered that he had been missing it before. Apparently it had fallen on the floor of the well when he was split into two. She gave him a puzzled look. What was he planning to do with it, she wondered.

Inu-Yasha held the rosary at arm's length, eying it with an unreadable expression on his face. Suddenly he brought it to him, lifting it with both hands over his head and letting it drop around his neck.

"Why did you do that? You were finally free of it." 

Inu-Yasha moved towards Kagome again. "It links me to you, and that's not such a bad thing, is it? Now, if you can just learn to be a little more patient with me and not use the damned thing as much…"

Kagome blushed and looked away from him. She was acutely aware that she had overused the subduing spell of the rosary a little more than was necessary in the past. But, looking at the calm, relaxed expression on Inu-Yasha's face, it occurred to her that perhaps she wouldn't need it at all in the future. There was definitely something different about him. A calmness that showed in both his words and actions. He was suddenly confident without being cocky. She found herself wondering at the change in him.

"I don't think you'll need to use this much any more, Kagome. Thanks to you, I'm finally at peace with myself."

_Peace with himself?_ Was it possible that the constant arguing that she had seen his two halves doing was something that had been going on inside of him all this time? How could he have lived with that much internal conflict? 

"I promise I'll be more careful about using it, Inu-Yasha. Of course, sometimes habits can be hard to break," she giggled. 

He lunged at her, pulling her to the floor of the mini-shrine and taking her into his arms. "I guess I'll just have to make sure you can't say _the word_." He covered her mouth with his own and kissed her gently. 

"Some of us do need to breathe," she gasped when he finally moved his lips from hers. She slipped her arms around him tightly, not wanting the moment to end. They held each other for several minutes, simply enjoying the other's company. Finally, Kagome broke the silence.

"We need to find out about the well." 

Inu-Yasha released her and sat up, turning to stare at the old bone-eater's well. It was their pathway between his time and hers, but more recently it had become the source of all their problems. What if he wasn't going to be able to travel through it without being spilt into two again?

"I think I should go through and see what I can find out on the other side. That's where the spell was probably cast, after all, and maybe I can do something to erase it." Kagome stood and brushed the dust off her clothing as she looked at the old well.

"I don't think that's a good idea," Inu-Yasha started. He shook his head as he realized that they didn't really have any other choice. "Just be sure you come right back. Don't leave me here getting worried about you."

Kagome nodded and touched the jar of shards that hung around her neck. As long as she had these, she would be able to pass through without him. However, if probably wouldn't hurt to be prepared, so she quickly grabbed her bow and arrows, which she had left near the well. Everything had been so mixed up when they came through the well the last time.

"Don't worry. I'll check it out and be right back. If I need help, I can get Kaede and Miroku. They would probably know more about any spells than I would, after all."

Inu-Yasha nodded silently and pulled her to him. "Remember, I love you. Be careful." He kissed her gently before watching her turn and climb to the rim of the well. Then she was gone.

The familiar sensation of traveling through the well greeted Kagome as she jumped. She remembered being scared the first few times, but now actually liked the way it felt. If someone could just duplicate the sensation on a ride at the fair, they'd be rich. 

It only took a moment for the feeling of hard ground to appear under her feet. Kagome glanced up and saw several vines dangling from the rim of the well. She had made it, and apparently it hadn't done anything to her. She quickly climbed out and glanced around the surrounding area before concentrating her attention on the well itself. 

At first she didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. Then, just as she moved to study the last side, she saw what appeared to be a fuda clinging to the rough wood of the well. Kagome dropped to her knees by it to get a closer look, noticing that the slip of paper had a small tear where it was attached to the wood. There was nothing there, but she could sense the faint aura of the Shikon no tama. She looked closer and could only guess that someone had secured the fuda to the well with a Shikon shard. The shard had since been taken away, apparently since it had done what it was meant to do – add power to the spell that was placed on the well.

Kagome quickly removed the paper and tore it up. She made several more circuits of the well, making certain that she hadn't missed anything before she jumped back through it and to Inu-Yasha.

Inu-Yasha waited impatiently in Kagome's time. He had finally been able to tell Kagome how he felt. If something were to happen to her because of him, he would never be able to live with himself. 

_What's taking so long?_ he thought. 

Suddenly he heard a sound at the bottom of the well and saw Kagome's head peek over the rim. He reached out and lifted her, bringing her petite form to stand just in front of him. He pulled her to him, touching his lips gently to hers. 

"I was starting to worry," he scolded gently.

"I double-checked everything. I wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything," she explained. She reached up and gave him a quick kiss. "I sure don't want to go through having two of you around again, " she giggled.

Inu-Yasha winced in mock horror. "Don't remind me."

"Anyway, I found a fuda on the well. There was a sense of the Shikon no tama there, but it was faded. I can only guess that someone used a Shikon shard to help power the spell on the fuda. The shard's long gone, and I destroyed the fuda. I checked the entire well, but that's the only thing I found."

Inu-Yasha nodded and glanced at the well. "There's only one way to find out for sure," he observed as he made his way to the well's edge. 

"We'll go together." Kagome reached out and took his hand. For the first time, he didn't hesitate before holding her slender hand firmly in his own. 

Inu-Yasha nodded silently and took a deep breath. 

Kagome smiled at him and gave his hand a squeeze. "On the count of three?"

He smiled back and her and nodded, turning to let her climb onto his back. 

She quickly counted to three, after which he jumped past the rim and into the darkness of the well. 

The ripping sensation he had felt on his last trip through the well was absent. It felt like any other time as the hard floor of the well met his feet. Inu-Yasha quickly lowered Kagome from his back and turned to face her. The look on her face told him that the well had worked. Tessaiga still hung from his waist and he reached up to touch the rosary, which circled his neck.

"Looks like it worked, " he grunted as he glanced up at the sky above them. He scooped Kagome into his arms and jumped, taking them both to the soft grass surrounding the weathered wood of the well.

Everything appeared normal as Inu-Yasha quickly scanned the area. He knew better than to expect the person responsible to be around, but he still wanted to make sure.

A small, furry, warm projectile zoomed past him and hit Kagome, nearly taking her off her feet.

"Kagome!" Shippou squealed with delight as Kagome lifted her hands to hold him. "You've been gone so long. I was worried you weren't ever coming back."

"I'm sorry, Shippou. We didn't mean to make you worry."

"What do you mean, _we._ I was just worried about you, Kagome."

Shippou winced as Inu-Yasha's hand came in contact with his head. The kitsune opened his eyes in surprise, suddenly realizing that the hanyou was patting his head instead of hitting it. The little youkai looked up at Inu-Yasha. "Huh?"

Inu-Yasha just laughed. "You know I would never let anything happen to Kagome. You didn't have to be so worried."

Shippou's eyes opened even wider, shocked at the sound of Inu-Yasha's laugh. _Laugh?_ The closest thing he had heard Inu-Yasha do to was a sarcastic scoff. Now, the hanyou was patting him on the head and laughing?

The kitsune climbed onto Kagome's shoulder and whispered in her ear. "I think something's wrong with Inu-Yasha."

Inu-Yasha's ears perked at the comment and he laughed again. "No, Shippou. There's nothing wrong with me. Thanks to Kagome, things have never been better." 

Shippou saw Inu-Yasha moving towards him and jumped away, expecting the hanyou to revert to his normal behavior and send the little youkai flying across the grassy field. He hid behind Kagome and looked on in surprise as Inu-Yasha leaned towards her and kissed her. 

"He's possessed!" Shippou squealed before taking off like a bullet in the direction of Kaede's village.

"Looks like we have some explaining to do. We better go and straighten this out before Shippou has everyone believing I'm possessed," Inu-Yasha commented dryly before taking Kagome's hand and walking with her in the direction of the village. He stopped and pulled her to him. "Of course, it would be fun to see what they try to do about it. Hell, we have our entire lives to straighten them out."

He slid his arms around her and held her close before placing his lips once again on hers. "This is nice," he murmured in her ear. "I think I'd like to do a lot more of it."

Kagome's hands slid to his ears, gently massaging the base before stroking them softly. 

"Remember when I told you that I'd tell you what that does to me?" He leaned towards her and placed his lips by her ear, whispering into it.

Kagome reacted, pulling back from him and blushing heavily. 

"Hey, don't stop, " he laughed. "After all, you _are_ my woman. And besides, I like it."

Kagome blushed again, turning to walk towards the village. He caught up with her and took her hand, smiling as they walked together towards their future. 


End file.
